Table-top desk



March 9, 1943.

S. M. COOLEDGE TABLE-TOP-DESK Filed June 5, 1940 SM Cboledge.

Patented Mar. 9, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE I 313,050 a TABLE- or DESK Sherman). Cooledge, Tacoma, Wash. I Application June'5, 1940, Serial No. 338,831

7 Class. (oi. 45-69) This invention relates to portable desks; and while it is primarily intended for use of typists and stenographers, it is not to be limited to such use, but is essentially to be used on a table-top,

in the broadest sense of the word table-top" 3 which includes desks, shelves etc; so I am naming this invention Table-top desk.

The main object of this invention is to provide a small, light and exceedingly convenient compartment-desk which, when placed on a typewriter-table or desk, at either the right or left side of the typewriter, holds the stenographers note-book in a position to .be instantly reached and grasped while the stenographer is at the same instant grasping a pencil from its holder directly over the note-book; thereby avoiding such delays as are usual where the stenographer' has to open a desk-drawer for retrieving the note-book and pencil.

Another object of this invention is to provide;

in combination with the receptacle and holder for note-book and pencils, an inclined desk-top on which the note-book can be placed in position to receive stenographic or other notes immediately upon removal of the note-book and pencil from their holders, the desk-top being immedi ately adjoining these holders for note-book and pencil.

Another object is to provide this table-topdesk with receptacles or compartments under the desk-top for holding different kinds of paper, for instance, letter-heads, second-sheets, copypaper, carbon-paper etC.; and to hinge the desktop, at its rear end, so as to obtain quick and easy access to such papers by simply and easily lifting the front edge of said desk top, and by similarly raising the front end of a hinged plate which is a cover for the lowermost receptacle or compartment and a floor for the compartment over the lowermost one. Another object is to provide a compartment-- desk of this kind by properly forming and "as sembling a number of sheet-metal blank's'into' a structure that is self-sustaining, without necessity for soldering or welding or'ri'veti'n g, certain of these formed blanks having spring-clamps that engage with other formed blanks soasj'to secure all parts inthe proper relatio'n'to one another while being sprayed with or immersed in a coating liquid which will combine 'withthe clamping elements for firmly securing all the formed blanks together in a strong and durable structure.

Other objects and important features are pointed out or implied in the following details of description, in connection with the accompanying drawing in which: v

- Fig. 1 is a front-to-rearvertical sectional view showing a very'practicalembodiment .of my invention.

- Fig. 2 is a right-to-left vertical sectional view, the-sectionbeing taken along the line 2-2 of Fig.1.", 1 "2 Referring to the drawing in detail, in which, similar reference numerals refer to similar parts in both views, the invention is described in detail as follows:

Formed blanks or elements of rigid and somewhat springy sheet material (preferably but not essentially metal) are shown at I, 2 and 3, ele-' ments I and 2 having down-turned edges l a and 2a which clamp upturned: edges to of a sheetmaterial element 4, thereby forming a trough that serves as a holder for pens, pencilsetri.

Formed blanks I and 3 have their lower ends curved into cylindrical spring-clamps lb and 3b which clamp down-turned edges 5a of a 'fioor 5 which is of sheet-material and has right and left side walls 56 which-are formed integrally with the floor 5 and have their upper edges down-turned at 50 so as to make their tops smooth and increase their rigidity, al'so'to form shoulders 5d" that abut against the respective forwardly turned'edges or flanges 21), so asto c0- operate with the plate or element 4 and with a rearwardly turned edge-portion or flange 20 for securing the elements I and 2 in parallel spaced relation. The rear ends of theside-walls 5b ter'-' minateat a distance from the rear end of the to the element 2,--viz., to =the'flanges'2b of such The front end-portion of the element 6 normally rests on' the upper edge of the wall Sayand this wall has'its lower end against the element;

floor-element 5' so'as' to combine with the clamp 3b for securing the elements 3: and 5 in proper position with respect .to one another. Torigi-difythe front edge of the element 6, and form a convenient handle below the frontedge of the "ele mentB, a cylindrical portion 6a is provided.

The desk-top or element 8"is'hinged to'tne flanges 2b where indicated at-9,- and=its front edge 8a is turned-back-for' rigidifying-it'and for providing a handle, and directlyin rear of this handle, the front end portion of the desk-top normally rests on the front end of the element 6. For rigidifying the right and left edges of the desk-top, they are formed into cylindrical or tubular parts 8b which also present smoothly rounded edges which enclose the sharp sheared edges of the blank of sheet material.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the space between the rear wall I and intermediate wall 2 is a very convenient receptacle or compartment for holding note-books, and inasmuch as the right and left ends of this compartment are open, the note-books can rest on the floor 20 and protrude from either or both right and left ends, convenient for immediate grasp of the user. It will also be seen that the cylindrical or tubular parts can be formed without any special machine or die, inasmuch as an old and wellknown type of machine for turning such tubular parts has long been employed by tinners and other sheet metal workers; and the same is true in regard to the turned edges la, 2a, 8a, etc., the well known sheet-metal break being effective for turning such edge-portions. Therefore, any well equipped sheet metal worker can manufacture these devices at a. cost low enough to enable them to be sold at a reasonable price and profit; though for production in quantities, stamping and forming dies for the respective blanks may be used to advantage.

The right and left edges of the elements I and 6 are preferably made smooth and more rigid by being turned inward as indicated at lo and 6c.

The tubular parts lb and 3b, in addition to serving as clamps, also serve as smooth feet that can be seated on a desk or table without detriment, and which can be easily slid todifferent positions on the desk or table.

Although the device described in the foregoing includes a rigid unit l'2-3-4-5 which is substantially L-shaped and sufficiently durable after being reenforced by a dried or baked coating of enamel or the like, when used by an ordinarily careful person,its rigidity and durability may be increased or amplified by the insertion of fasteners 50 which may be either spotwelds or rivets.

Though I have described this embodiment of the invention specifically, as a desk, it is also useful as a typists copy holder, for the copy can be placed on the desk-top and thereby held in a convenient position to be read by the typist while transcribing the notes; and I do not limit my patent protection to the precise details as described and shown, for the invention is susceptible of numerous changes within the scope of the inventive ideas as implied and claimed.

I claim my invention as follows:

1. In a table-top-desk, the combination of a rigid unit which is substantially L-shaped from a left-side view-point and includes a floor and front and rear and intermediate walls, the intermediate and rear walls being at the rear end-- portion of said fioor and defining therebetween a walled receptacle for storage of one or more note-books or the like, a plate which is both a floor and a cover hinged on the intermediate wall and supported normally in spaced parallel relation to the first said floor and combined therewith to form a normally covered receptacle for containing writing paper or carbon paper and the like for ready and convenient access by a user who raises the front end of said plate, and a desk-top or plate hinged on said intermediate wall and forwardly and downwardly inclined and disposed normally with its front end portion on the first said plate and thus being properly combined with the latter to form a compartment for holding stationery such as envelopes and letter-heads for ready access by the user.

2. The combination defined by claim 1, and a shelf united with the upper end portions of the rear and intermediate walls and disposed therebetween at a plane below the upper extremities of said rear and intermediate walls and combined therewith in forming a trough for holding pens and/or pencils in proper position for immediate access to a users hand while taking a note-book from the first said compartment.

3. The combination defined by claim 1, said front wall being a part of a front supporting element that is united with the front end of the first said floor and includes a foot under the first said floor, said front wall constituting a support on which the front end portion of said combined floor and cover normally rests, said rear wall having a lower part under the floor and complemental with said foot for supporting the super-structure on a table.

4. The combination defined by claim 1, the walled storage receptacle between said rear and intermediate walls being open at its right and left ends to provide unobstructed entrance and exit of note-books and the like and to permit the note-books to protrude from this receptacle for ready access thereto when needed by a user.

5. The combination defined by claim 1, said rigid unit being inclusive of side-walls formed integrally with the right and left edges of said floor, also inclusive of flanges formed integrally with the right and left edges of said intermediate wall, the lower ends of said flanges being secured to the rear ends of said side-walls so as to amplify the rigidity and strength of said rigid unit.

6. In a structural unit of a device for holding stationery and the like, the combination of a rigid sheet bent to form a floor and side-walls, said side-walls having rear ends terminating at a distance from the rear end of said floor, a second rigid sheet bent at opposite edges to form flanges, said second sheet being disposed over and projecting up from said floor at a position between said rear ends of the side-walls and having its flanges rigidly secured to the latter and projecting upward therefrom a considerable distance, a third rigid sheet secured on and extending up from the rear end of said floor in parallel spaced relation to said second sheet and rear ends of the side walls so as to combine with said fioor and second sheet in forming a relatively high and narrow storage receptacle that is open at opposite ends from said floor to its upper end, and rigid means united with the upper ends of the second and third said rigid sheets for securing them in a fixed parallel relation and forming an articlereceiving shelf.

'7. The structural unit defined by claim 6, and a fourth rigid sheet constituting a desk-top and secured to said second sheet and inclined down- Ward over the first said sheet and having its main portion spaced above said side-walls in such position that access can be had to the space between said walls through openings over each of the side walls and under the corresponding edges of the desk-top.

SHERMAN M. COOLEDGE. 

